Amsterdam,
the capital of Holland, numbered 750 000 people in 2006 and the modal
share of bikes in the city centre was over 50%! The railway station is
surrounded by bicycles and the city is attempting to solve the
saturation problems by installing additional free parking. The use of a
ferry as a parking facility for 250 bikes is a striking example.

Objectives :

The
objective of the city of Amsterdam is to contain the cyclist « chaos »
which now exists in the vicinity of the railroad station. There is
little room for this, since the station is surrounded by water. Hence
the idea of gaining ground over the water.

Methods :

Ferry, near the entry of the railstation

Description of the offer :

The ferry parking facility is no more than a ferry outfitted to
accommodate 400 bikes. The facility is free of charge and located about
50 m from the first railway platforms.

On the other side
of the railway station, on a canal, the city built a three-tier
platform equipped with a bike path with parking space for 2500 bikes.

The third level of the bike plateform on the cancal (2500 bikes)

Organisation :

Idea/design

Investment/set-up

Management/operation

City + Bas Kohler Studio

City + Bas Kohler Studio

City

The city came up with the idea of using the ferry as a bike park and the Bas Kohler Studio (architects) designed the facility.

Funding:

As
a general rule in Holland, the city, the central government and the
provinces each contribute one-third of the total cost of the
investment. In the case of the ferry park, the city of Amsterdam paid
the full cost of construction and maintenance. This facility is free
and does not generate any return.

Communication :

A
few articles were published on the internet in connection with the
opening of the ferry. No other communication actions were undertaken.
Once the modal share of cyclism exceeds a certain critical mass, a
well-situated bike park operates as a bike « vacuum cleaner », just as
a car park does.

Résults :

- Strengths :
Free of charge for users, close to the railway station, makes room on the public highway, aesthetic and innovative aspect.

- Weaknesses : There are a certain
number of barnacle bikes (this is a nationwide problem: 23% of the
parked bikes have been abandoned).